Maryland Awarded Over $23 Million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Rep. Donna F. Edwards pleased that Prince George€s County will receive over $11 million in funding

Vice President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder announced $1 billion in grants to fund the hiring and rehiring of 4,699 law enforcement officers across the country under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The state of Maryland was awarded over $23 million to hire and retain 112 police career law enforcement officers. The grants will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) through the federal agency€s COPS Hiring Recovery Program.

€I am pleased with the announcement that 112 law enforcement officers will either be hired or remain on duty in the state of Maryland because of funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress,€ said Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-MD).

€Specifically, this funding will provide jobs to 50 police officers for the Prince George€s County Police Department. As state and local governments across the country continue to suffer budget shortfalls, this critical funding will keep police on the streets and make our communities safer.€

The grants will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for entry level officer positions over a three-year period. Police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant funded positions for a fourth year.

The funding provides 1,046 law enforcement agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, the support they need to add and retain the manpower needed to fight crime more effectively through community policing. Other municipalities in Prince George€s County that received funding include the cities of Laurel, Bladensburg, and Riverdale.

For more information about the grants, or to learn which law enforcement agencies received funding, visit www.cops.usdoj.gov.